Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation and Cotton On announced their R6,4 million donation towards six South African mental health organisations. This forms part of a $3 000 000 (just under R55m) funding of 65 youth-centred organisations across ten countries, through the Kindness in Community Fund, among the largest funding efforts to provide direct support for youth mental health across the world.
From nominations to the initial review to selecting the shortlist, all the way to the final selection, young people in each region were engaged at each step, ensuring their input and perspectives were central to the decision-making process and reflecting their genuine needs and priorities in mental health.
The Kindness in Community Fund grantees span a wide range of focus areas, including direct mental health service providers, arts and culture, youth leadership and development, education, sports and recreation, and more.
By offering up to $150 000 USD ( just under R3m) per organisation, the fund enables services that respond to the top themes young people hoped to address in their regions, including culturally competent services, LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy, gender-based violence support, de-stigmatizing mental health, and migrant and refugee community care.
The Kindness in Community Fund offers a comprehensive approach that connects young people with a wide range of free, accessible resources and opportunities to support themselves and their peers.
The South African beneficiaries are: Community Keepers, Khululeka Grief Support, Lefika La Phodiso, Little Lions Child Coaching, PHOLA SANA and Waves for Change, all of whom are working to ensure that the youth of South Africa are healthier and more healed.
“It was my daughter’s and my vision to be able to act on the research and thousands of conversations we’ve had with young people globally, where youth have asked for responsive services and programmes that meet their needs and support their mental health and whole wellbeing,” said Cynthia Germanotta, President and Co-Founder of Born This Way Foundation.
“Thanks to partners like Cotton On, the Born This Way Foundation is able to scale the important work of the 2024 Kindness in Community Fund grant recipients as they support youth mental health and uplift their communities.”
Reflecting Born This Way Foundation’s mission and collaborative strategy from its founding over a decade ago, the vetting criteria required Kindness in Community Fund grantees to be focused on young people, be rooted in equity and inclusion, and provide accessible resources to their communities, and the Foundation approached that vetting process in partnership with mental health insights and advisory firm, Prospira Global.
Furthering that spirit of partnering for impact, Born This Way Foundation and Cotton On raised the funds for the grant through customer purchases of Cotton On Foundation items. This youth-led effort underscores the power of involving young people at every step to create effective mental health support systems globally.
“Youth mental health is a great passion of mine as this area is so often overlooked and there is so much potential to make a meaningful difference,” said Nomzamo Mbatha, Cotton On Foundation Ambassador.
“Supporting the mental health of our youth is crucial because a healthy mind is the key to a fulfilled future. By empowering young people with the resources and support they need, we invest in the well-being and resilience of the next generation,” she said.
“Something that inspired me about the nominated organisations was how many of them focused on supporting marginalised communities such as LGBTQ+ young people, youth living in rural and remote communities, and Indigenous youth,” said Nikoletta Apostolidis, Born This Way Foundation Advisory Board member who assisted in the selection process alongside other young people.
“It was also inspiring to see how the nominated organisations were youth led. Youth-led initiatives support young people to be active in decision making processes, programs, and interventions that directly impact their lives. Youth-led organisations are not only helpful in understanding the needs, interests, and concerns of young people, but can also help to bolster the leadership skills, collaborative capacity, and confidence of young people emerging as leaders in their communities,” she said.
“We are proud to collaborate with Born This Way Foundation in supporting these remarkable organisations," said Sarah Spiker, Head of Global Projects for Cotton On Foundation. "Through the Kindness in Community Fund, our team and customers are contributing to the global effort to prioritise mental health and build resilient communities."
"Together with our team and customers, we are proud to have now raised over $10 million AUD to support mental health organisations. We are delighted to partner with Born This Way Foundation’s Kindness in Community grants, which will directly impact over 75 000 young people with access to mental health support services, putting youth-led solutions at the heart of building kind, brave communities globally,” said Tim Diamond, General Manager of the Cotton On Foundation.
Despite the crucial need for investment, the World Health Organisation reports that mental health comprises only around 2% of global health funding, and just 0.5% of philanthropic health funding. With organisations sharing that they often struggle to secure consistent funding, this investment is crucial. The recipient organisations have shared their experiences and challenges directly with many sharing that the grant will help them provide resources to more people, recruit staff members, and expand their impact in their communities.
For more information about the Kindness in Community Fund and other initiatives by Born This Way Foundation and Cotton On Foundation, please visit: https://www.channelkindness.org/welcome-our-2024-kic-grantees